JICA funded water and sewerage proj in Goa partially completed

Panaji, Jul 21 (PTI) The work of augmenting water supply and laying sewerage pipeline funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Goa has only been partially completed as against the original deadline. "The Goa Water Supply and Sewerage project was originally scheduled to be

Panaji, Jul 21 (PTI) The work of augmenting water supply and laying sewerage pipeline funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Goa has only been partially completed as against the original deadline.

"The Goa Water Supply and Sewerage project was originally scheduled to be completed in January 2014," a senior official of JICA told PTI today in an email interview.

"This project has been partially completed, as the water treatment plant was commissioned in April 2016," the official said.

The works undertaken with JICA funding were in news last year after the US-based firm Louis Berger alleged that bribe was paid to get consultancy for the project in Goa.

The Crime Branch had booked former Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, former state PWD Minister Churchill Alemao and others in connection with the bribery scam.

The JICA has said it is "only the funding agency providing loan to the project".

"Only one project is currently being implemented in Goa under a Japanese ODA loan (JICA is the lender). The project name is Goa Water Supply and Sewerage Project," the JICA official said.

"The objective of the project is to provide safe and stable water supply and sewerage services that will meet the rapid increase water demand by expanding and rehabilitating water supply facilities in the existing Salaulim Water Supply Scheme and by constructing and expanding sewerage facilities in Margao, Mapusa and north coast belt," he said.

"This will contribute to improvement of the living conditions of residents. The borrower is the Government of India and the executing agency is Public Works Department, Government of Goa," he said.

The total cost of the Goa project was estimated to be 27,766 million Yen, that is approximately Rs 1,032 crore, out of which funding commitment from JICA had been made up to 22,806 million Yen, approx Rs 847 crore. PTI RPS GK BSA

This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.

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